Coke seeks court OK on bear ads

The Coca-Cola Co. is seeking a federal court declaration that its polar bear commercial does not infringe a copyright possessed by the authors of a children’s book featuring polar bears.

Coke, in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, said that Carl and Charles Dickerson, the authors of “The Blue Polar Bear Cubs and a Santa for All People: A Santa for Every Time, Every Place and Ever (sic) One,” have sent Creative Artists Agency a letter claiming infringement.

An attorney for Carl Dickerson allegedly has demanded to be told the identity of the commercial producer hired by CAA, in order to “avoid litigation,” and the defendants have orally repeated their infringement claim.

Coke, however, insists it did not know about the book, copyrighted in 1990, before the commercial was made.